Details emerge in Henry County Civil Rights settlement after board’s silence

MT. PLEASANT — The $20,000 settlement the Henry County Board of Supervisors quietly approved earlier this month resolved a civil-rights complaint from a former jail sergeant who says she was overlooked for promotion despite being the most qualified — and a veteran.

The board took no public questions and offered no explanation when it voted to approve the agreement during its June 6 meeting. But Laycie Kelly, the former sergeant who filed the complaint, is now shedding light on what led to the payout. The initial report confirmed the existence of the settlement but offered few details at the time due to the board’s limited disclosure.

“I was a little surprised that the Board of Supervisors approved the settlement without any public discussion, or not even reaching out to me with any questions,” Kelly said in a recent interview.

Kelly worked at the Henry County Jail for five and a half years, including more than four as sergeant. She said she had been effectively performing many of the duties of jail administrator under the previous leadership and believed her experience and qualifications made her the clear candidate when the position opened.

“I was very involved in every aspect of the jail,” she said. “I had done my best to learn as much as I can to be an asset to the jail and to move up.”

Sheriff Rich McNamee, who made the hiring decision, told her she interviewed well and had done nothing wrong but said the job was given to someone else “based on their jail management experience,” according to Kelly.

She disagreed with that reasoning, especially since she had regularly run the jail in the previous administrator’s absence. She also cited Iowa’s veteran preference law, which gives hiring priority to qualified veterans. Kelly served in the Marine Corps for four years, earned a meritorious promotion, and completed two overseas deployments.

“That was something I believed should have factored in,” she said. “On top of the fact that I was doing the job daily, had the knowledge and experience and had the support of the jail staff.”

The Union reached out to McNamee for this story, and he declined to comment.

Kelly filed complaints with both state and federal civil rights agencies after consulting with her attorney. The county settled the matter before a formal hearing took place. Kelly said she remained in the loop throughout negotiations, which were handled by her attorney.

Kelly said she faced professional fallout after being passed over. “When I was at work, I was treated differently,” she said. “It was crushing at every level.”

While the board’s public silence has left many questions unanswered, Kelly hopes sharing her experience helps others understand what happened and why she pursued legal action.

“There had been many qualified people that had been overlooked for many positions over the years and no one stood up for what was right,” she said. “I only wanted to stand up for what I believed was right and to let others know you can stand up for yourself too.”

No county officials or representatives from the sheriff’s office have contacted her since the settlement, Kelly confirmed. As for whether the county has learned anything from the process, she said change is overdue.

“I believe there is always room for change,” Kelly said. “People are not leaving because of wages and benefits.”

She emphasized the case was never about money.

“It wasn’t an easy process,” she said. “But if someone else sees that they can speak up because I did, then it was worth it.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com